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Thursday, 29 May 2014

Player Of The Year 2014 - Eden Hazard

Player Of The Year 2014 - Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard has been crowned the Chelsea Player of the Year for 2013/14.

The Belgian received the award from Jose Mourinho to a cap a memorable second season with the Blues.

The awards ceremony, which took place in the Great Hall at Stamford Bridge, was hosted by Chelsea TV's Gigi Salmon and Trevor Nelson, the Radio 1 DJ and a Chelsea season ticket holder. Five prizes in total were handed out.

The main award was voted for by supporters on this website, with John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta - who won the Players' Player of the Year - making up the final four nominations.

Hazard, who scored 17 goals this season including a number of wonderful individual efforts, was thrilled to pick up the award for the first time.

'I just want to say thank you,' Hazard smiled. 'The three nominees all deserved it but it's me! We know it's a collective sport but individually trophies are sometimes good, so I'll take this one home and enjoy it with my family.

'When I play I try to give my best on the pitch. I like the applause and when the fans come they want to see a spectacle.'

Earlier in the evening Cesar Azpilicueta was voted the Players' Player of the Year, chosen by members of the first team squad and technical staff.

Having been mostly deployed at what was an unfamiliar position of left-back for most of the season, the Spaniard has displayed exceptional consistency throughout this campaign. His hard-working, disciplined and decisive performances over the course of the season have played a major part in our defence being the tightest in the league. He also scored his first goal for the club in the Capital One Cup win at Arsenal back in October.

On accepting the award, handed out by 2002 Chelsea Player of the Year Carlo Cudicini, Azpilicueta paid tribute to his team-mates.

'Thank you to everyone because it's a pleasure for me to have this award,' said Azpilicueta. 'I give everything and sometimes I get angry with some of them but after five minutes everything is fine so thank you.'

Paulo Ferreira picked up the Special Recognition award for the service he gave the club between 2004 and 2013 in the penultimate prize of the night.

The Portuguese defender won the Premier League three times, the Champions League and the Europa League once, the FA Cup three times and the League Cup twice during his nine-year spell in west London.

In all he played 217 times for the club and was extremely popular with teammates and supporters alike. His final appearance was as a late substitute against Everton on the last day of the 2012/13 season. After the game he brought the Europa League trophy, won a few days before, onto the Stamford Bridge pitch and thanked the fans for their support over the previous nine years.

Sebastian Coe gave Ferreira his award and our former defender couldn't hide his pride afterwards.

'I feel so humbled,' smiled Ferreira. 'I can't believe I have won this award. I spent nine great years at this club and I feel really happy.

'For me it was like a second home here, it was a big family. That's why I am still living in London and I hope to be here for a long time.'

Ferreira also praised the impact of Jose Mourinho, the man who signed him from his former club Porto in 2004.

'If I'm here and I'm having this award I have to say thank you to Jose. He was the one who brought me to the club and I stayed here for a long time even though I wasn't expecting it.'

There was a double celebration for Lewis Baker, who won both the Chelsea Young Player of the Season and the Chelsea Goal of the Season for his stunning mid-air half-volley against Arsenal's Under-21 side.

Baker has enjoyed a fine season for our Academy sides at Under-21 and Under-19 level, and was rewarded with a first team debut as a late substitute in the FA Cup win at Derby. He was also on the bench, though remained an unused sub, for our Capital One Cup win at Swindon in September and more recently at Anfield when we defeated Liverpool.

On receiving the second award Baker said: 'Even to win one is an amazing feeling and for me to get this award as well tonight is a great achievement. The whole team has done great this season and hopefully we can win on Wednesday [in the Under-21 Premier League play-off final against Man United].'

The 19-year-old has scored 17 times from midfield this season across the Under-21 Premier League, the UEFA Youth League and the Under-21 Premier League Cup, with the most recent goal, away to Arsenal, voted the 2013/14 Chelsea Goal of the Season earlier in the night.

Supporters were given the opportunity to register their vote on this website from a selection of 10 outstanding goals, with Baker's deemed to be the pick of the bunch.

The young midfielder was playing for our Under-21 side at the Emirates when he met Islam Feruz's centre with a mid-air flick that flew into the bottom corner in a game we eventually went on to win 2-1.

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